Releasing spear



Patented Jan. 26, 1932 PATENT orner:

ERNEST WILKINSON, 0F SOUR LAKE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO LESLIE A. LAYNE, 0F

` HOUSTON, TEXAS RELEASING SPEAR .Application filed June 8, 1931. Serial No. 542,812.

My invention relates to pipe gripping devices adapted to be employed in removing pipe 'troni wells. These devices are ordinarily called spears and this particular type oi' 5, spear is called the bulldog spear.

lt is an object ot the invention to provide a device adapted to operate in a eiinple and positive manner to grip within a pipe to be pulled and which may, if desired, be released n 'l'roin the pipe and withdrawn Tf1-oni the well. lt is another object to provide a spear which may be operated to move the pipe grip* ping jaws positively into position away from the pipe so as to prevent any possibility of its engaging the pipe when it is withdrawn :troni the well.

The invention resides in the simple construction ot the device whereby it may be reliable in use and economical to manufacfa, ture.

ln the drawings herewith Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a spear constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being shown within a pipe and moved :a into pipe engaging position.

liig. 2 is a side view partly in central vertical section showing the jaws in inoperative position released from the pipe.

llig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1.

ln constructing my spear l employ a central tubular mandrel 1 threaded on the exterior on its llppei' end at 2 for engagement by means of a special coupling 3 with a pipe or li drill stem -l which may be understood as eX- 'tending upwardly to the surface. The 1nan drol is cylindrical below the threaded portion f2 for a distance to provide a seat 5 'lor the expanding cone 6. llelow this cylindrical l area is a radial flange 7 adapted to limit the downward movement ol' the expandin cone.

@paced somewhat below the flange 7 the enter sur'liace ol the mandrel is threaded at 8 to engage an elongated nut 9. The mandrel extends below the threaded area and may be made polygonal at 19 to receive a wrench whereby the parte may be assembled.

'lllie coupling o has a wide shoulder l2 at its i lower end against which lined a clinnping D ring 13. Said ring has a downwardly extend ing outer flange 14 thereon which is beveled at 15 to engage the upper end ol the pipe gripping jaws 16.

The ring 13 is clamped between the upper end of the conical expanding sleeve 6 and 55 held rigidlyin that position. The said eX- panding cone rests upon the uppery end of the flange 7 and has an outer skirt 17. which eX- tends down below the ilange tor a short dis tance. Said expanding cone has a plurality of vertical grooves or recesses 18 therein forming a key way `to receive the" inner ends ot screws 19 acting as keys within said key way to prevent relative rotation of the eX- panding cone and the nut l9 through which the screws 19 extend. l

The nut 9 is threaded upon the area 8 upon the mandrel and has an upwardly extending ring or flange 2O off fsuflicient inner diameter to engage about the lower skirt 17 upon the 7U expanding cone. The lower end ofthe nut is beveled at 21 to form a guide shoe while the device is being inserted into the well.

The jaws 6 will be understood best 'from Fig. 3. They are formed upon a sleeve or ring entirely surrounding the mandrel. rlhe said sleeve is split longitudinally at 23 to allow expansion of the jaws upon the eXpan ding cone. There are also longitudinal grooves 24 dividingthe slip into four separate pipe 80 gripping jaws which are toothed on their outer surface to engage the pipe. The inner surface of the slip is tapered upwardly to engage over the outer surface oi the expanding cone. It is to be noted that the lower end g5 ot th-eslip is tapered at 25 to engage the downwardly tapered recess 26 in the upper end of the nut 9. The upper end ol the slip is tapered at 27 to engage with the lower seat 15 of the clamping ring l go In the operation of this. device the device is assembled as shown in Fig. 1 with the jaws loosely movable along the expanding cone. When the device is moved downwardly in the wellany engagement of the slip with the out s, er pipe shown at, 28 `will Inovethe jaws upwardly on the' expanding cone and no gripping of the pipe will result. lllhen the tool is at the proper position in the pipe to be removed it will be movedupwardly and the l j wedged in gripping position by the relative upward movement of the expanding cone. When the pipe has been properly gripped it may be removed from the well.

If it should he found that the pipe is fixed in thc woll and cannot be pulled, the'tool may then be released. This is done by lowering slightly on the mandrel and rotating in a right hand direction. "This will'screw .the mandrel downwardly relative to the nut v9 which is held in fixed position by the gripping action of the jaws 6 against the eXpanding cone which is held in `turn nonrotatable relative to the nut by means of the said screws 19. When the nut 9 is advanced upwardly relative to the mandrel it will engage the lower ends of the jaws 16 yand saidjaws may -then be moved upwmrdly into` engagement with the shoulder 15 where they will be clamped in contracted position allowing the tool toV be withdrawn from the well.

The advantage of this construction lies in the fact that it is of simple and strong .construction. The pull exerted by the mandrel upon the jaws is sustainedby the radial flange and there is no tendency to distort the thread-ed portion 8 and thus prevent ythe successful o-peration of the releasing device. This makes the tool a reliable one and subject to rough use` without getting out of order. f

lVhat I claim as new is: 1. A spear for wells including a mandrel, a radial flange thereon, an expander cone on Vsaid mandrel supported on said flange, slips supported 'on said cone, a nut threaded on said mandrel below said flange, meansto hold said nut non-rotatable relative to said cone, and means on said nut adapted to be screwed upwardly to engage and move said slips.

2. A spear for wells including a mandrel, a radial flange thereon,` an expander cone on said mandrel supported on said flange, slips supported on said cone, a nut threaded on said mandrel below said flange, means to hold said nut non-rotatable relativejto said cone, and means on said-nut adapted-to be screwed upwardly to engage yand move Vsaid slips by the relative rotation of said mandrel, and.

means to engage. the upper end of'said slip to hold it inwardly.

8. A spear including-a mandrel, anexpander cone thereon, means-on said mandrel to support said cone and hold'it against longitudinal movement, a nut on said mandrel, a pipe gripping member on Vsaid mandrel adapted to be Vexpanded radially by .down-V wardmovement on said cone, and means on said nut vadapted to engage said member and move it upwardly out' of pipe engaging posi.- tion. Y f. 4L. A spear. including a mandrel, an expander cone'thereon, means-on said mandrel' said member extending below said flange,

a nut screwed upon said mandrel below said Harige, means ,011 said Ynut securing saidV nut to said member slidably but non-rotatably, said `nut being .extended upwardly outside said skirt, a Slip .member 01,1 Said expander and means .on said nut positioned t0 engage Said Slip and 1.1.1.0r@ it vupwardly Q11 Said ,mundrel.

6. :A spear including a mandrel, a supporting flange-on saidmandrel, a conical expander member on said flange, a skirt on said member extending -below said liange, a nut screwed upon said mandrel 'below said Iflange, means on said nut securing said nut to said memhermslidably but non-rotatably, a slip on said conical member, and means on said nutk s lidable relative to said member to engage and move said slipupwardly.

In testimony whereof I hereunto my signature this 3rd day of June, A. D 1931.

Cit 

